soil well

it was finally warm enough to plant tomatoes outside a few weeks ago. i decided to experiment a bit with planting methods. generally, tomatoes are planted 6-12 inches deep in the soil, depending on the size of the seedling. the reason for this is that tomatoes will sprout roots along their stems. so deeper plantings establish a strong root system. this time, i planted the seedling just a few inches deeper. then, working about 6-8 inches from the stem, i built a circular embankment with the soil around the plant. i've noticed in the past that when i water, it runs off the rows and into the walkways. so i thought doing this would help keep the water around the tomato plant. this way, when i water, i can fill the well without all the water running off. then it will hopefully get to those deep roots. my next step will be adding a mulch on top, to conserve the moisture in the soil longer during those warm summer days.